Ella, Juls, Rebecca, Rhiannon, Heather, Dawn and me.

Confusing title to be sure!  Well this is how it all went.  Remember when I did the review for Ellad2, and I posted the bracelet that I was dying to do next?  Well she liked my review so much that she sent me the tutorial.  Oh how I love turquoise and brown together BUT....yep I now lack a supply of size 8/0's (I will have to work on that when I win the lottery)  So what to do?  What to do?  Ohhhhhh I think white and chocolate would be beautiful (hunt through stash here)  I knew I had a stash of the most gorgeous brown textured beads and well I have a thing for creams and whites so that was no problem either.

TaDa!

My Cookies and Cream Ojo!  (my hubby named it)  I really love this.  It has beautiful support and strength and what a great and easy to follow tutorial.  One of the other things I like about her creations is that she uses readily available beads so you no special purchases are necessary.  Yay!  Stash busting is awesome!.  The only problem was the clasp.  None of the toggles I had would match that antique dark brass and I didn't want to make a simple loop because well when do I do anything easy?  I am really pleased with what I chose.  I know it looks familiar to some of you because yes it is half a sparkly wheel.  Ella is celebrating a milestone so make sure to visit her to see what surprises she has in store for us.  Thanks so much Ella!

Okay so how do Juls, Rebecca, Rhiannon and Heather Kingsley Heath come into this?  Well I had decided to try Heather's Master Class pattern in the most recent issue of Beadwork.  Oh Boy a master I am not!  I have to tell you I had alot of trouble with this one.  I found the way she has you stitch the components very fiddly for me and the first three parts of it literally gave me fits.  (yes stomping was involved as well as the urge to toss the bead tray across the room BUT I wasn't going to actually do that!)  So on a recent trip up north which is a 4 hour drive I played and found that if I complete each portion of the component and it's embellishment then work the next row it was so much easier.  Okay but now how to make it me?  Just then my sweet muse who I call Rhiannon took a vacation.  Isn't that always the way.  Well I was typing my dilemma in FB and my friend Rebecca said that she had made a sheep for her boyfriend and he had named it Rhiannon, maybe she should send me a picture and it might help.  Yeah I don't think a picture of a sheep could help.......

WRONG!!!!!!

You know what happened?  Just like a smack in the back of the head a beautiful set of beads that Juli of the fabulishous Julsbeads sent me for my birthday last year popped into my head.  No joke I ran upstairs and put all three pieces together and they were an absolute perfect match!

Paying with a light box of sorts

This is what it looks like on.

This is my Spice Latte.  I am totally in love with this necklace for all the reasons listed above and more.  I have been trying since my last birthday to make these beads into something and all I needed was a picture of a sheep.  Huh go figure.  Oh and I also have to thank my cheerleader Dawn.  Every time I have an idea I bounce it off her and I swear the girl has some sort of connection into my head or something because she sees what I am describing and I see her suggestions.  Spooky!

So I guess that's my story and I;m stickin to it!

Hugs and Blessings

KK

Oh Oh OH I totally wanted to tell you that I WON something!!!!!  Yes I am totally blessed to have been the first name drawn in BeadsForever giveaway!  Yep the first name so I get that outstandingly funky cab that she made! and The Art of Bead Embroidery!    I nearly fell off my chair when I got Linda's message!  She is so sweet and makes art that will knock your socks off!

Apparently Baby does get what she wants!

So I did that Random Number Generator thingy and I would show it to you if I could have figured out how to copy it.  I so hate these computer hooey things.  My sweet hubby installed the new security software and now every time I want to right an e-mail I have to disable it.  It really sucks when I forget and write a note, go to send and then POOF its gone!  Oh back to the winner.........this was the winning comment (number 5) and despite the scare tactics I did not have anything to do with picking it.  (That's why the generator thingy cuz you'd be ascared too!)

 

BABY WANTS THOSE BEADS AND WHAT BABY WANTS BABY GETS, so don't get between me and my precious. I know where there is a WHOLE DRAWER of butter knives, and I'll cut ya.

Ok so it's technically only service for 8 instead of a whole drawer. Stop paying attention to the wrong part of the story.

~~

Kristen, you are a light and a love and a lifelong friend who I cherish more than you know. YOU brighten OUR days ~ and we are the better for it. Thanks for that.

~~

UH HUH. My Captcha is "GRUITCH"....which is French for CUT-YA! (probably)

See what I mean.  So my sweet Juls you be the winner Baby!!!!!

Hopefully on Monday I will actually have a bracelet to show you!!!

Hugs and Blessings for a Great weekend for all of you!

You are the best of friends a girl could ever wish for

KK

These are so under lock and key now!!!!!

So I have nothing new to show for BTW but I thought I would give my fellow Bead Ninja's a bit of eye candy to satisfy them (before viewing please have chocolate ready as to stem off the monster)

This is a picture of my seed bead stash on the start of this year....

Yes it is organized but hey it wasn't that hard as you can see!  Well I did win (yes I know your jealous but I really don't have any idea why I have been so lucky) this from Juli @ Julsbeads remember? (OH AND she is having a giveaway now too!)

And....I got this gorgeous set from Lori @ Out of the Flames

So first I want to send the biggest hugest hugs to both of these gals for being the friends that they are ( you have both helped me more that I could possibly express...OK maybe I could but it would be too mushy and you would all be on sugar overload by the time I finished sooo) Here is what my stash of seedy goodness looks like today.....

These are now under lock, key and armed guard (oh she may be limping now but she is 17lbs of furry fury for sure)  As I am well aware that there are 2 very special women who are contemplating hopping in the car and stalking me (coffee is waiting).

Oh and I need to tell you all I am getting used to the meds and you have all been so great.  Also because my sweet hubby has put new software on my computer I am unable to send emails until he fixes it.  I can receive them but not reply and that is also causing an issue with those blogs that require e-mail address in comment section.  So Jeannie I love the branches and Emma I loved your bead tray today.  (if you read either of their blogs please let them know)

Hugs and Blessings

KK

If Fabulishous wasn't already her name.....

You have to read this post by Juli @ Julsbeads.  Anyone who has been a follower of mine knows that I not only covet the creations she makes I LOVE HER!  She has become my friend, supporter and inspiration in so many ways.  This is the part of her that means the most to me and now I am going to show you all why.  All I am going to do is direct you to her post and you will know what a wonderful, giving and sweet person she is.

Hugs and Blessings

KK

You new it was going to happen

Well it has happened again.  I got nothin'!  Well not nothin' I have a couple somethins so I guess that's somthin'.  First you are not going to believe this but I am going to be the recipient of another sweet little giveaway!  I know I have no idea where this luck is coming from but as you know I like to share so I am going to share my sweet little gift with Shelby AND I am only giving you an idea of what we chose so here it is....

I am gettin Shelby's pick of any one of these cutie earrings.  Actually there are three different sets so what I want you to do is go and visit Heather @ MyMuse and check out the other two pictures as well as the gorgeous gingerbread pics she posted.  I just recently found her blog and she also has a really cute shop with a variety of stuff to buy like the cute polymer clay I have my eye on!  You know I love meeting new people.

Next once again as President, CEO, Queen and Empress of Julsbeads I need to inform you that she is having the most awesomest of stupendiliocous (yeah I made the word up but we are talking about Juls ya know!) SALE EVA!!!  You need to hop over there and snap up anything you see because what I wanted is already gone and I do not want that to happen to you!  Go there now darn it! Oh come back when you are done so you can see my next somethin.

Oh cool your back OK.  You should all know that Marcie at La Bella Joya has been hosting the "Margie and Me" color challenges and they are fun to participate in IF you can get it done in time,  Well she has gone and put out the ultimate challenge.  

"The Margie and Me Throwdown 2010"

If it worked right just click on the picture and you can read the "Official Rules"  So the reason I am telling you this is not only to make sure you visit her blog to see all the awesome creations she makes and see how she inspires all of us but I have chosen my pallet and started my piece so I am super excited!  Here is what I chose

I know it's not a huge stretch for me color wise but.....what I have come up with is a challenge for me!  I hope you tune in after Christmas to see what I have made.

Well I guess that was a little more somethin then I planned on but thanks for reading to the end!  LOL  I shipped my creations to Beth today so fingers crossed she will "Squeal" when she gets it!

Hugs and Blessings

KK

What A Week!

If you have read my last two posts you know that I have been having an unbelievable week!  An Friday was no exception.  Now I need to tell you all that when I first started this blog adventure I was so overwhelmed by the artists that I was discovering and dreamed of someday being able to get my hot little hands on their creations.  You all have been there and know exactly what I mean but.....Then I was meeting the artist behind the work and was even more overwhelmed at how wonderful they are and how much of themselves ACTUALLY goes into their treasures.  I have been lucky enough to be welcomed with open arms, inspiration and friendship....That is the best part.  I didn't even think that was possible.....Boy was I sooo wrong (hey it happens sometimes)  The other problem as we all are experiencing this past year is how to creatively budget for our dream shopping not only to have the gorgeousness that is out there but to also support all of you.  Well I haven't been able to fit too much into that part so........Swapping!   Well Beth @ EB Bead and Metalworks took me up on my offer and at first I was so excited but......you know me I get nervous.  All I do is seed bead stuff and she has all that gorgeous metal and enameled goodness  but she wanted some of my beaded beads so OK!  

LOOK LOOK LOOK what she sent me!!!!

I had to steal her pic as my camera is not being nice to me right now!  She called this pic "Goodies for Kristen"  ain' she the BOMB!

Now I know normally I post the whole process of opening for you but OH NO not this time!  I was so excited to get this I HAD HAD HAD to forgo the suspense (for me of course).  Now Beth asked me which pendent I would like and the first one of course was this amazing Bluebird.  First because I love them and second you all see the detail and love that has to have been put into this.  Well I tell you right now that as I was opening this box a total surprise came out as well as tears as I unpacked this amazing bowl!  I have been drooling ooggling admiring these ever since I first saw them.  They are magic!  Really they are!  You stare into this for a bit and you can't help but feel sunshine thoughts!  And we so need some sunshine soon!  And those beads  OH OH OH!  Well with a package like this there was only one thing to do....I immediately sent her an e-mail that she must call me ASAP!!!!!!

I could tell by her voice that she was a little worried but calmed right down as soon as I started spouting the mushy gushy Thank Yous at her.  Yes I am mushy gushy you all should know that by now!  What a wonderful friend I have made and it was even better to be able to show her voice to voice how I really felt!  Oh Yes my friend it won't be the last time we talk unless you have one of those "What was I thinking" moments when you get my package.  LOL  I could so go on and on and on but what I want all of you to do is visit EB Bead and Metalworks right now (seriously right now you do not need to read any further!)  they have not only great one of a kind creations but a really awesome blog (OH and when Beth posts her flower pictures you could almost smell them...don't try it though I got a few bumps from it)  Oh and I suppose I should also tell you that she has a BLOGOVERSARY (YIPPIE) coming up and she will be having a giveaway too.  I so want more so if you don't want to enter it is perfectly fine with me!  LOL

BETH MY FRIEND YOU ARE THE BOMB!  AND MOM TOO!

Hugs and Blessing

KK

Tis The Season...OH MY

The tree is up!

Erin do you see the toy soldier?

The cards are in production!

Only time of year I get my stamps out

Made some ornaments!

Amy, Juls, and Erin do you know where I got this idea?

Derek's early present!

Ain't he just the cutest?? Looks just like Daddy on his!

Got my prize! I know you all love when I do this!  I told you on Monday that I won this at Jeannie's Blog but I never expected it so soon.

Look at this gorgeous box!

Gasp! Oh the colors!

I have to tell you all that I wore this all day Monday (still not sure how it got here so fast)  The pictures DO NOT do this justice at all!  I can't wait to work with those beads either! Go over to her blog if you are looking for great Christmas ideas and extremely well made jewelry and gifts!  Thanks again Jeannie I so love this necklace!

Knocked out by FABULISHOUS!  Can you guess who?

Gasp, Gasp, Gasp!!!!!

You are so right if you guessed my sweet Juli over at Julsbeads!  As President, CEO, Queen and Empress of her fan club (yeah it's self proclaimed!)  I am still blown completely away when I am touching these unbelievable beads.  I have had my eye on this set for so long and to hold it is like a gift from the fairies themselves (I still think she may have fairy blood in her!)  If you are looking for fabulishous glass you NEED to visit right now...I mean it go there right now!  I once again may be sleeping with these under my pillow for a while (Dawn you know you do it too!)  Thank you so much Juls for yet another fabulishousbeyondwordsgaspingdelishousness!  I so love you Darlin!

OH OH OH did you all see my new button?  That's right I have been accepted in the Artbeads Design Partner Program!  I have been so blessed by this little blog with winnings, a feature, Artbeads, but most of all I am blessed to have made some of the best friends to share this all with!  Thank you all so much for your inspiration, support, and friendship it means more to me than words can express (and you know I am wordy)

Hugs, Blessings and Happy Holidays to all of you

KK

Don't read this because I want these all to myself

As the Queen, Empress, President and CEO of Julsbeads fan club( stalker too but that is just between us OK) I am obligated to post the Awesomest Giveaway she has posted.  Now I am hoping that you will all realized that I want to be one of the 3 (yes 3) winners of this fabulishousness and that you just can't find it in your heart to deny me these and choose not to enter!  But in case you are just as selfish as I am LOOK at these pretties!

Let me tell you also that if you have never had one of her beads in your hot little hand you are so missing out!  These are of the highest fairy peed on quality to come out of a shiny little shack eva!!!!!! So once again please do not click the link, do not post your desires and do not tell her that I am stalking her!  That is supposed to be between us!

What's with the wine theme?

I have this wine theme going and generally I don't even drink wine?  Go figure.  Anyway this is the bracelet that was inspired by Marcie's previous "Margie and Me" challenge.  I was having trouble with the inspiration part until she posted this gorgeous picture of Marie Antonetta's Sparkle gown and bingo it hit me AND I had the colors that I needed to do this.  I kinda pulled this one out of my...well you know.  But with no pattern to follow I winged it, and winged it again, and winged it again.  Now I so love this simple yet oh so elegant bangle.  First I will show you the picture that inspired me then the PAIRING!  Yes a finished pairing!  I know it has been a while but it was so well worth it.

 Isn't this gown just stunning!  Thank you so much Marcie for this inspiration because I am so pleased with my interpretation!

  It is a bangle done in RAW with Czech 8's, 11's and pearls from my mothers jewelry collection.  So now I also have a piece I wear and think of her!

I have also been working on my second piece to frame Juls gorgeous bead.  I will tell you that when I first saw it I thought it had a beautiful olive color, but when I received it I was so thrilled that it is actually the most beautiful hot dog relish color and as I said in my previous post the beady goddess was good to me and I had matching beads!  Now I did show you this bead before and I was starting a twisted herringbone rope which I liked doing but.......

It just didn't seem to be the right look for this. So Dawn to my rescue once again with her showing me the Russian Spiral (which I am totally addicted to making and wearing) and a hunt through my unorganized bead stash and now LOOK LOOK LOOK

This is exactly what this beautiful bead called for!  It will be a challenge finishing is because (which seems to happen to new beaders all the time)  I did not buy enough of the transparent smoky gray 15's to make the size I wanted.  No worries though because that will be fun trying to finish this necklace.  I will be making a bail but that is a whole nother can of worms I am not ready to open yet!

This is the last picture I am going to show of my beady fun and I am making it for the silent auction at Derek's school.  I think this bracelet is coming along nicely and has a very seasonal theme.  It is from the latest issue of Beadwork magazine and since I don't have it at the moment I will have to tell you more about it later!

I think it will go for a good price (at least I hope it does as it is part of our fundraising goal this year)

I hope all of you are well and as usual I took too long posting this so I will have to wait till tomorrow to check out all your recent posts.

Hugs and Blessings

KK

Hershey Bars and Chocolate Shakes.....

What a week!  First thank you to everyone that commented on my tribute to my mom.  She was one hell of a woman good and bad and I miss her very much.

This also has been a scatterbrained and hectic week for me.  And here is a picture of what I mean!

You can always tell when my focus is off by my bead tray!  I was bouncing between learning new stitches trying old ones and examining my bead stash.  I volunteered a Derek's school on Tuesday and we had a field trip to the pumpkin patch on Wednesday.  Ain't he just the cutest!

So back to my bead tray and an explanation of the title of my post.  I have been wanting to learn brick stitch and a friend sent me a pattern but I wasn't sure if the elements in the pattern were to bold for me to wear so I began to change it up a bit.  I also thought I was working on a "Margie and Me" entry but now I think the colors are too dark for that.  Anyway I really seemed to just go with the flow and also use what my stash had and when I finished the first one I had to make a couple more.  When I showed the first one to my sweet hubby he said "that would be a great pendent and you could make matching earrings"  Ok not to say that is an absolutely fab idea but it doesn't fit my goal (well now it might as between Lori's gorgeous pendent Iam working on the perfect chain still, Dawn for her inspiration and the Fabulishousness of the spectacular Julsbeads I have I have now gone into necklace parings)  Now when Shelby saw them she said they look like snowflakes hence (HA to Shelby) the song "If all of the Snowflakes were Hershey Bars and Chocolate Shakes" is all I can think of when I see them!  You tell me.....

I would like to tell you that I rummaged through my sweet hubby's workshop for that brick stitched ring but.....I made him get them for me when he was at the hardware store.  I am not sure how to combing both components but...........Oh wait I wanted to try this......

It is the cutest little bead but I have no idea what to do with it......Wait I know I think I will start the chain for that gorgeousness of a bead I got from Juls...........

Hummm......I am not so sure if these are the right colors for a twisted herringbone..........OMG I just figured out how to finish my other Juls creation.....AND GUESS WHAT?????

IT"S MY FIRST FINISHED ORANGE BEADED CREATION!  And I love this.  I need to find some orange pj's for those pj fashion days!

I am trying to catch up with all my blogger buddies but when you have a few days away from blogger catching up takes time and so does my sweet family!

Coming soon....Shelby's and my beady adventure, getting to know my stash and my early birthday presents!

Hugs and Blessings

KK

"So why is the Rum Gone?" A prize and a thought (maybe not a good one)

I just love Jack Sparrow don't you!  He is someone we can all relate too and frankly I know there is some part of him in all of us! Don't you all want to ask that question sometime?

I would like to thank all the best blog friends in the world for your support in my confusion from the last post and I firmly decree that even if I love you I will no longer read any posts that pertain to copying! No more hooey!!!Ok so that topic is done and gone and that is why "The Rum is Gone"

Soooooo the mail lady has been bringing me many gifts in the mail recently ( I so love when packages come in the mail even if a bill is attached) Some of which I can show you others I will keep to myself (no not special toys geez get your freaky little minds out of the gutter, oh wait you haven't read this yet so it's just my freaky little mind.....nevermind)  Anyhoo Cindy at Artful Living on the Bluff must have paid a few postmen off to get this delightful piece of candy out to me in such a hurry but I am grateful!  As I like to do I will show my opening of this sweet prize starting with the box

Such a pretty and sweet box I hated to cut the string but I couldn't slide it off and I have no patience!

and she wrote the sweetest little note on top so I have to say "Right back at you Cindy!!!!"

Now I will tell you that I gasped when I opened it because they are such pretty mocha colors and I immediately put it on!  I even considered changing my outfit today just to wear it but alas I have housework and the shirt it will be paired with is not for that!  Did you hear that Cindy this beauty will be a pairing!!!! So then I had to put it back in the box for you to see what I saw......

Isn't it the sweetest put in the candy cup!  Thank you so much for picking my name Cindy! I love this and your beading around it is so perfect!  This is my first vintage treasure and I will treasure it!

Now on to my thought!

Well you all saw my goodies from Julsbeads so you know I couldn't just let them sit I needed to make something (ok they were under my pillow for a couple of days, Thanks for busting me Dawn!)  And I should thank Dawn again because she helped me with a stitch that just kept eluding me.  (Kisses) So here is my thought but I am confused on how to put it all together any ideas?

Hugs and Blessings

KK

I GOT FABULISHOUSNESS!!!!!!

I have been waiting such a long time to get my hands on goodies from Juls you have no idea. I am no longer jealous beyond belief of all my blog friends that have had and flaunted(now it's my turn ;P)  But I thought it would be nice if she could see my happieness when I got these babies (thanks so much my sweet hubby). So I tried to do a video of me opening it so I could e-mail it to her but alas I am so technically challenged that I can't e-mail it becausee the file is to large!! ARRGGHH!. Anyway that probaly would have been a little embarassing for all of you to see me in all my dorkie glory (any yes i just about cried pathetic right) Oh and Juls my sweet Derek stole the sweettarts and Shelby is still trying to steal the beads!  So you will all have to settle for these pictures of MY goodies (and please feel free to drool all you need to cuz I have been drooling over all of yours for months now!)

OK I know you can all see these beauties but do you also remember my favorite color?  Can you guess?  I need to tell you all that these are beads of the highest quality and craftsmanship and that if you are looking for a special focal or beads to enhance your projects you can not go wrong with these!  I am not only blessed to be a very loyal customer I also have made a friend in her that I will forever treasure! (Shelby with tell you I am a sap!!!)  Thank you Juls for creating these with your amazing hands and torch! Now what to make to showcase these babies! To Be Continued......

I thought since I had a few extra minutes I would also show you what I have been working on.  Let me know what you think of this collection of beads!  They are such a blast to make and I am addicted to them!

Hey Guess What?  I also won this beauty from Cindy Caraway at Artful Living on the Bluff.  She has a comment contest every month and her blog is filled with cool quotes and vintage stuff.  Visit her if you get the chance!

This is really cool it is a vintage piece that she beads into a pendent (and my favorite colors too)

Well I hope everyone has a great weekend.  At least the sun is finally shining here!  Both inside and out!

Hugs and Blessings

Kristen